


Fault

by Emjen_Enla



Series: Prompted Works [51]
Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Book 1: Six of Crows, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Drug Withdrawal, Gen, Haphephobia, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, blame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:22:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27130373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emjen_Enla/pseuds/Emjen_Enla
Summary: Kaz was making his way down below the deck of Ferolind when someone tackled him off the bottom rung of the stairs. His shoulder slammed hard into the wall. A warm, sickening hand was pressed against this throat, the thumb and forefinger pressing along each side of his larynx.Written for the prompt “Stop being so difficult.” on Tumblr
Relationships: Kaz Brekker & Matthias Helvar, Matthias Helvar/Nina Zenik
Series: Prompted Works [51]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1366669
Kudos: 52





	Fault

Kaz was making his way down below the deck of _Ferolind_ when someone tackled him off the bottom rung of the stairs. His shoulder slammed hard into the wall. A warm, sickening hand was pressed against this throat, the thumb and forefinger pressing along each side of his larynx. He almost gagged on the nonexistent seawater which rose up around him.

“You know she might die,” Matthias hissed in his ear, instants before Kaz would have laid into him with his cane.

“Get off me,” Kaz said, fighting to keep his voice level.

“She might die,” Matthias repeated. “Don’t you care?”

“Is this about Nina?” Kaz asked. His voice didn’t sound right to him—it was too brittle—but he had to hope that Matthias wouldn’t notice.

“Of course, it’s about Nina!” Matthias said. “She could die of the _parem_ withdrawal and it will be all your fault.”

“In case you hadn’t noticed, Nina took the _parem_ voluntarily,” Kaz said. “I didn’t even realize she was going to do it until she already had. I fail to see how I’m to blame for this.” He shifted a little in an attempt to get a little more breathing room, but Matthias just pressed harder on his throat. Kaz forced himself to be still; he didn’t want to appear to be struggling.

“But you’re the one who alerted the Ice Court of our presence in the first place,” Matthias growled. “If you hadn’t done that Brum would have learned of our presence far later in the night and we wouldn’t have been cornered while escaping.”

He had a point, though Kaz would rather die than admit it. His detour to release Pekka Rollins was the reason things hadn’t gone to plan. Still he didn’t necessarily regret it. It wasn’t that he didn’t care that Nina was probably going to die from _parem_ withdrawal, it was just that he couldn’t regret that Rollins was still out there waiting for the right time for Kaz to get his revenge.

When Kaz didn’t immediately respond, Matthias applied even more pressure on his throat. Kaz decided enough was enough. He brought his cane up quickly and twisted out of Matthias’s grasp when the other boy jerked back in surprise. Matthias might not have realized it, but he’d gotten lucky. If he’d been anyone else Kaz would have shattered his wrist or something equally painful. Instead Kaz had just brought the cane up quickly between them, startling Matthias into letting go. Not having a crew member with a broken wrist was more important than Matthias learning that touching Kaz Brekker meant pain.

“Stop being so difficult,” Kaz snapped. It was much easier to do so now that Matthias wasn’t touching him anymore.

“Difficult?” Matthias asked. “I’m being difficult? You’re the one who won’t admit to your culpability in this.”

“And what exactly would you convincing me to admit to being to blame for Nina’s state change?” Kaz said. “It’s not like she’ll be any more likely to survive because of it.”

It appeared Kaz had pressed the right button because Matthias deflated, his shoulders slumping. Suddenly he looked very tired. The change from rage to dejection was so sudden it made Kaz a bit uncomfortable. “Do you think she’ll be alright?”

“I have no idea.”

A flash of anger crossed Matthias’s face. “A bit of comfort would be nice!”

Kaz raised an eyebrow. “You’re asking _me_ for comfort?”

Matthias heaved a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yeah, I must be losing my mind.”

Kaz didn’t comment.

They stood in silence for a few minutes listening to the _Ferolind_ creak on the waves. Then there was a sound from down the hall. It sounded like Nina was awake.

“You should probably go check on her,” Kaz said stepping back so Matthias could pass him in the close hallway without brushing up against him.

“Yeah,” Matthias said, all trace of his previous anger gone. “I probably should.”

He brushed by Kaz just a little too closely despite Kaz’s maneuvering and headed off down the hall. Kaz watched him until the door to Nina’s cabin closed behind him, then sighed and headed towards his own cabin.


End file.
